Improvement in portable fare-boxes



J. W. PRENDERGAST.

Improvement in Portable Fare Boxes. No. 124,287. Patented March5,1872.

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NITED STATES JAMES W. BRENDERGAST, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVEMENT IN PORTABLE FARE-BOXES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 124,287, dated March 5,1872.

Specification describing certain Improvements in Conductors PortableFare-Box, invented by J AMES W. PRENDERGAST, of New York city, in thecounty and State of New York.

The invention consists in an improvement upon fare-boxes, as hereinafterfully described and subsequently pointed outin the claim.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a side view of the box, partlyin section. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of Fig. 3 on the line 00 00.Fig. 3 is a view showing the front of the box. Fig. at is a horizontalsection of Fig. 3 taken on the line 3 y.

Similar letters of reference indicate corre sponding parts.

This box is designed to be supported on the arm or in the hand of theconductor, and to be carried from passenger to passenger through out thecar. It is also intended that each passenger shall deposit his or herown fare, and that the conductor, while he is enabled to make thechange, is not allowed to handle the fare.

A is the arm-hole. B is the hood, into which the passengers drop theirfare. This hood is placed upon the top or near the top of the box 0. Thefare drops from the hood B onto the slide 1), from which it slides onthe inclined surface E of the arm-hole side of the box, and from theapron F to the revolving plate G, where it is stopped. His a plate ofglass,

forming the upper part of the front of the box. The two sides I I ofthis part of the box are also of glass. While the fare rests on theplate G it is exposed to the view of both passengers and conductor. Whenthe conductor sees that the proper or required fare has been depositedby the passenger, he turns the plate and drops the fare into thecash-receptacle or bottom portion of the box J. This part J is closedand locked at the office before the box is given to the conductor, andis kept locked or locked and sealed until the box is returned to theoffice for making the returns. In one corner or in some other part ofthis cash-receptacle J, or in some other part of the box, I place asmall vial or tube, K, filled or partially filled with shot L. This tubeis open at the top, so that it the fare-box is inverted the shot willescape from the tube by their own gravity. Now, the box would never beinverted or turned over except in an attempt to tamper with it forgaining access to the cash by allowing the latter to slide from the box.The plate G is held in a horizontal position by means of the doublespring N. The shaft or pivots of this plate project through the sides ofthe box, with a knob, O, on one end for turning the plate, and a flange,P, on the other end,in which are two cavities which receive the ends ofthe double spring. These cavities are so arranged that the springengages with them when the plate stands horizontal. When a little forceis applied to the knob O, the springs are forced from their cavities andbear against the edge of the flange.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Pat ent,-

A fare-box, provided with shot-tube K, as and for the purpose set forth.

The above specification of my invention signed by me this 25th day ofSeptember, 1871.

JAMES \V. PRENDERGAST.

Witnesses:

GEO. W. MABEE, T. B. IYIOSHER.

